England v Tonga: Yorkshire’s Adam Radwan looking to make swift impact

Adam Radwan, the Newcastle Falcons winger who hails from Osmotherley in the Hambleton Hills on the edge of the North Yorks Moors, makes his second appearance for England today.

His former Newcastle team-mate Ryan Burrows believes plenty more will soon follow, just as rapidly as one of the lightning-quick wideman’s rapier thrusts.

Having scored a hat-trick on debut against Canada in the summer, the 23-year-old Radwan returns to Twickenham to face the far sterner test of Tonga this afternoon but everyone who knows him expects him to flourish.

Former Leeds Tykes back-row Burrows spent time with him in his formative years at Newcastle, before he started tearing up the Gallagher Premiership with that frightening pace.

“I actually lived with Radders for a year,” he recalled to The Yorkshire Post.

“We rented a flat in Jesmond from his agent. It was great.

“It was 2018-19. I’d been around a bit and seen wingers come and go but as soon as I saw Radders, my first impression was there was just something about him.

“I know wingers are supposed to run fast but he was probably the quickest thing I’ve ever come across.

“Like anybody, he was never the perfect player but all the coaches up at Newcastle said they weren’t bothered. They just told him once he got his hands on the ball things would happen.

“They were right. I remember playing some European games with him in the Challenge Cup.

“I captained him then. Some of the tries he scored were amazing; he made experienced players look bang average.

“Obviously, at that time, Newcastle were pretty blessed with wingers in terms of Niki Goneva and Sinoti Sinoti so his game-time was very minimal.

“He’d come play in European games and really turn up – and then disappear and play for Darlington Mowden Park and tear up National One.

“It was frustrating for him and his question to me always was ‘what more can I do?’

“But, being a little bit older I just sat with him and told him he needed game time and, once he got that, he’d get the exposure.

“Unfortunately, at the time he was sat behind two of the best wingers in the Premiership!”

Burrows, the 33-year-old who gained iconic status at Rotherham Titans and Leeds but currently plays for Coventry, added: “I told him to bide his time.

“Unfortunately for Newcastle we got relegated but it was fortunate for Radders as that then meant Niki left and Radders had a full year of playing Championship rugby.

“It’s not the same as Premiership but in terms of performing week in week out and scoring that’s all he needed.

“The other day, Championship rugby Tweeted one of his tries from that season where he went 70m untouched against Ealing and he’d been doing that in Europe as well.

“I always kept saying stay patient and when the opportunity comes, make sure you take it. Fairplay to him, he has now.”

Radwan played some of his junior rugby at Middlesbrough RUFC and Burrows, who hails from Rotherham and also represented Doncaster Knights, said: “He’s very much proud of his Yorkshire roots.

“He’d walk around the changing rooms – or when we were at home – talking about the two Yorkshire lads together. He’d always be making Yorkshire Tea; he was very proud being from Yorkshire as a lot of people are.

“He’s the latest one now flying the flag and I’m sure he will for years to come.”

England coach Eddie Jones has high hopes for him and mentioned him in the same breath as Springboks star Cheslin Kolbe.

Burrows admitted: “There’s no substitute for pace, is there?

“If you look at the England wingers, there’s Jonny May who’s quick.

“But if I was a betting man, and they had a race, I know who my money would be on: Radders.

“I don’t think there’s many other wingers in the Premiership who have the pace that he has.

“I spoke to him a bit back and I didn’t think it’d be possible for him to get quicker but he said over the summer internationals with England his speed went through the roof and he actually got quicker.

“I just think somebody like Radders will thrive in that high performance environment just because he is a sponge; he just wants to learn and improve.

“I’m massively delighted for him to see what he’s done.”

As is everyone from Osmotherley, to Middlesbrough, Newcastle and beyond.

Tonga, on the other hand, might not be as pleased...